Operative mechanism for steam presses



lzxaminel H. H. M DERMOTT OPERATIVE MECHANISM FOR STEAM PRESSES Filed May 23. 1929 4 Sheets-Sheet l 00- Ill/\IILLO, mummy un OIVIEJUIIIIIUI' May 10, 1932.

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Patented May 10, 1932 UNITED STATES PATENT; OFFICE HARRY H. MCDERMOTT, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR TO THE PROSPERITY COMPANY, INC., A. CORPORATION OF NEW YORK OPERATIVE MECHANISM FOR STEAM PRESSES Application filed May 23, 1929. Serial No. 365,540.

The invention relates generally to pressing machines such as are used by dyeing and cleaning establishments by tailors and pressers, and by laundries for pressing garments, fabrics, etc.

An object of the invention is to provide a pressing machine in which the pressing or ironing pressure on the textile or garment is secured by power actuated means, whereby the effort required to operate the machine is reduced to a minimum and whereby a much higher pressure can be applied to the work than is possible to obtain through levers opcrated by foot or hand power. This greater pressure gives a better finish to the work and produces a more lasting press.

Another object attained through the use of the above power actuating means is a greater rapidity of operation of the machine.

Another object of the invention is to utilize both live and the exhaust steam from the heating chambers of the presser head and buck for the power operation of the machine.

Another object attained is the automatic regulation of the volume of heat supplied to the presser head and buck in accordance with the rapidity of operation of the machine.

Another object attained is the frequent withdrawal of condensation from the heating chambers of the presser head and buck to the end of obtaining a more eliicient heating of the presser head and buck.

Another object is to provide power operating means which can be built directly into the pressing machine in its original construc- Fig. l is an enlarged vertical sectional view taken through one of the telescoping controllers.

Fig. is a partial sectional View taken on line 55 of Fig. 4 showing the trip latch arrangement.

Fig. 6 is a partial sectional view taken on line 6-6 of Fig. 4 showing the clamp carrying the knock out roller and a portion of the yoke bracket.

Fig. 7 is a vertical section taken through a four way valve.

Fig. 8 is a cross section taken on line 8-8 of Fig. 7 showing the ports.

Fig. 9 is a vertical section through an operating cylinder and its heads.

Fig. 10 is a cross sectional view taken through the oil separator employed in the exhaust line from the operating cylinder.

Fig. 11 is a side elevation of a lubricating device shown connected to a port of the inlet steam line leading to the operating cylinder.

Fig. 12 is a view similar to Fig. 4 of the other telescoping controller.

Fig. 13 is a horizontal sectional view through the presser head lever and support showing the valve therein.

Fig. 14 is a section taken on line 14-14 of Fig. 13.

Fig. 15 is a similar section through the valve taken on line 1515 of Fig. 13.

Figs. 16 to 19, inclusive, are diagrammatic views showing the passage of live and exhaust steam through the piping.

The press which may be considered as representative of conventional press construction, comprises a frame 10 having an upper standard or arm 11 extending upwardly from the rear of the frame and having a boss 142 on its upper end for pivotally supporting the presser head lever 12. This lever is provided with split bearings 12' (see Fig. 13) to permit ready mounting on said boss. Pivotally mounted on the front end of this lever is the presser head 13 which is adapted to be brought down upon the lower pressing buck 14 supported on the frame 10. The garment or fabric to be pressed is, of course, inserted between the presser head and the 1 buck. Both the presser head and buck are adapted. to be heated by steam which is conducted through well-known heating chambers in both, supplied with steam through pipes 119, 120. The lever 12 carries a rear counterweight to balance the weight of the presser head.

A toggle lever consisting of a pair of toggle links 15 is pivotally secured to the balanced lever 12 at one end and to the frame 10 at the other end. The knuckle or pivot of said toggle has connection through a link 16 with one end of a lever 17, which is fulcrumed at 18 to a cross brace of the frame for up and down rocking motion. A connecting rod 19 at the other end of lever 17 connects it pivotally with a treadle lever 20 which is pivotally secured to the frame as at 21. To this treadle lever the device of the present invention is operatively connected. By virtue of its ability to make operative connection to this treadle lever the present mechanism has ready applicability as an attachment to old machines. Moreover it also permits operation by foot power.

In steam heated pressing bucks a source of steam under moderate pressure is always available and one of the features of the invention is the provision of means for utilizing the live steam for operating the upper presser head. Another feature is the arrangement whereby the exhaust steam discharged from the heating chambers of the presser head and buck is also used in this power operation.

This power actuation is performed by a cylinder 23 which is supported directly under the front table of the machine and which has operative connection with the treadle 20, as I shall presently describe.

The feature of control of pressing machines generally and its particular application to a pressing machine as herein characterized forms no part of the present invention, and is the subject of Patent No. 1,587,078, dated June 1, 1926, and of the application which matured into Patent No. 1,722,638, dated July 30, 1929. These control features will be described in the following, however, in sufficient detail for a complete understanding of the invention.

Two controllers 24 and 25 are provided to control inlet of steam to the ends of the cylinder 23, these controllers being so related that both must be forced down simultaneously or steam will not be admitted to the cylinder 23 to bring the head and buck together. This compels the use of both hands on the controllers and consequently there is no possibility of having one hand caught between the presser head and buck. Accidents caused through the carelessness of the operator in getting his or her hands injured between the head and the buck are thus positively avoided.

The cylinder 23 illustrated in Fig. 9 is of the conventional type, closed at the top and bottom by cylinder head 26 and 27 respectively, each having internally threaded ports. The upper head is provided with a lug 28 having a transverse bore therein to receive a pivot bolt for securing it pivotally on a bracket 29 secured to the frame 10 by means of bolts 30 (Fig. The lower cylinder head is provided with packing and a stuiiing box 31 to prevent escape of steam from the cylinder which has a reciprocating piston 32 mounted therein. Piston rings 33 are provided in said piston and a piston rod 34 secured thereto extends downwardly and has a yoke 35 secured to its end. A connecting joint 36 is pivotally mounted on said yoke, and has pivotal connection with a clamp 37 fixedly secured to the treadle lever 20, thus forming a universal joint to connect the press operatively with the cylinder.

In Fig. 7 is shown a longitudinal section of a four way valve 38 in which a housing 38 is provided with four tapped openings or ports A, B, C and D, best indicated in Fig. 8. A tapered valve stem 39 having cut away portions for placing these openings A, B, C and D, in communication with each other, is rotatably fitted within said housing and held yieldingly in place by a compression spring 40 surrounding a portion of the stem of reduced diameter and held in place by a threaded cap 41 engaging the internal threads of the housing 38'.

Integral with said cap is a yoke 42 having a tapped opening 43 at its upper end through which a headless set screw 44, having a lock nut 44' extends for engaging the top of the reduced portion of the valve stem 39, to provide for its adjustment. The other end 45 of said valve stem is of polygonal cross section to receive a valve lever 46, shown in Fig. 2.

The port A of the valve housing has connection with the source of steam supply, which, as I shall hereinafter trace, is from the heating chambers of the presser head 13 and the buck 14 (thereby utilizing the waste steam from these chambers) and from the live steam line 119. The port B connects to the bottom of the operating cylinder 23 for forcing the piston upwardly in opening the press and the port D connects to the top of the operating cylinder for forcing the piston downwardly in closing the press. The port C connects to exhaust. In connecting the port D to the top of the cylinder 23, a nipple 47 shown in Figs. 3, 8 and 9 leads directly from the opening D into the upper cylinder head 26. In connecting the port- B to the bottom of the cylinder a conduit 48 leads from the port and connects through an elbow 49 with a pipe 50 (Fig. 2). This pipe in turn connects through an elbow 51 and detachable union connection 52 with the inlet port opening into the bottom of the cylinder through the lower cylinderhead 27. i

A yoke bracket 53 illustrated in Fig. 3 has openings 54 that register with openings in lugs on the cylinder head 26 and 27. Bolts 55 extend through both cylinder heads and through the yoke bracket 53 and are provided with nuts at both ends which hold the cylinder heads in place on the cylinder and the cylinder 23 firmly secured to said yoke bracket 53. This bracket terminates in cars 56 having horizontal bores therein to carry brackets 59. 59' which in turn support the two depressible controllers 24 and 25. A table or apron 139 is supported below the buck 14 for supporting the garments or tabrics, and these two controllers are supported at the front edge of this table.

The bracket 59 illustrated in Figs. 3, 4 and 6 comprises a channel shaped casting 60 having an aperturcd wing 61 extending laterally from one side thereof to be connected to one of the ears 56 by means of a bolt 62. At the top of bracket 59 a guide boss 63 slidably receives a tube 64 having a circular handle 64 formed at its upper end. The other end of this tube 64 is threaded and has secured to this threaded portion a clamp 65 formed with a downwardly extending arm 66 having a transverse horizontal bore in its bifurcated lower end which carries a knock-out roller 66. A lower boss 67 on the bracket casting 59 has a tapped counter bore 67 into which threads the lower end of a second or inner tube 68, which has a snug sliding fit in the outer tube 64.

It will be observed from Figs. 421ml 12 that the back walls of the channel portions of the brackets 59, 59' are cut away at their lower ends to receive trip latch levers 69. As shown in Fig. 5 these trip latch levers are pivoted on pivot pins 130 which have their ends mounted in the side walls of the respective brackets 59 and 59. The rearwardly projecting ends 69 of the two latch levers have bosses in which are secured, as by set screws. the ends of a horizontal rod or shaft 131. This shaft rises and falls with the up and down swinging movement of the latch levers, but compels the two latch levers to move together. Under the weight of this shaft the lower latching noses 132 of the two levers normally swing in and bear against vertical latch rods which I shall presently describe. The latch lever for the right hand control 25 has an upward extension 133 having a cam surface 134 on its upper end and a notched-out recess 135 at its lower end.

Associated with this right hand control 25 is a latching or releasing rod 70 which extends through bores of reduced diameter in the head 64 of the tube 64 and in the boss 67 of the bracket 59. The upper end of this rod carries the operating knob or handle 71. At

65 a predetermined point in the length of the Examiner rod 70 is formed an annular groove or notch 72 having a substantially square lower shoulder for engagement by the nose 130 of the latch lever, as I shall presently describe. The lower end of said rod is threaded for a relatively long distance and carries a bufi'er 73 adapted to strike the bottom of the boss 67 to limit the upward movement of the rod. A fiber washer 74 and a felt washer 75 are interposed between said butter and boss 67, to reduce the shock and make the device quiet in operation. A lock nut 76 holds the bufier 73 in the desired adjusted position.

A long compression spring 77 surrounds the releasing rod 70 and is confined between a collar 78 secured thereto and the boss 67, this spring normally serving to hold the annular groove 72 out of engagement with the trip latch 69 and the telescoping elements in distended position relative to each other. Another compression spring 79 of greater compression strength is interposed between the handle 71 and the head of tube 64.

The left hand telescoping controller 24 shown in Fig. 12 is mounted in the channel bracket 59 which is identical with channel bracket 59 except the wing 61 extends from the opposite side of the channel portion for mounting the bracket on the other side of the machine. I

Extending upwardly from a tapped counterbore in lower boss 81 of the bracket 59 is a guiding tube 82. similar to the tube 68, provided to slidingly guide the outer tube 83 which reciprocates in a bore in upper boss 80. A rod 84, similar to latch rod 70, extends from a handle 85, secured to this outer tube, down through a bore of reduced diameter in the lower boss 81 and supports a buffer 86 in the same manner as the other control element 25, having a shock absorbing felt washer 87 and a fiber washer 88 interposed between said bufler and lower boss. A look nut 89 holds the buffer in adjusted position in the same manner as in its companion controller. An annular notch 90 is provided in the rod 84 in a manner similar to and in substantially the same horizontal plane as in its companion rod. A spring 91 surrounds rod 84 and is interposed between the handle 85 of the outer tube and the lower boss 81 to normally hold the outer tube and the rod in eXtenled position.

Supported on the lower threaded ends of each rod 70 and 84 are adjustable clevises or brackets 92 and 93, respectively, these being held between lock nuts for adjustment. Extending across the front of the machine and pivotally supported, at each end, in brackets 92 and 93 is a cross-bar or lever 94 which functions analogously to a whippletree. Pivotally connected to the center of this cross lever is a link 95 which makes pivotal connection at its upper end to the valve operating lever 46 (Fig. 2). With both controls 24 and-25 in their normal upper positions this cross lever will assume the full line position of Fig. 2 for one position of the four way valve. This position of the valve lever is predetermined by the adjustable stop screw 57. For a completely down position of both controls the cross lever 94 will assume approximately the dotted line position of Fig. 2 for another position of the four way valve. The downward movement of the valve lever 46 may also be limited by the stop screw 58. In lieu of the stop screws 57 and 58 I may employ dash pots or spring cushioning devices. The differentpositions of the four way valve and their relation to the operation of the machine will be described at greater length after describing the steam connections more in detail.

As previously stated, the source of steam supply for the operating cylinder 23 is from the heating chambers of the upper presser head 13 and the stationary buck 14, as well as from the live steam line 119, that is, live steam pressure is on the pipes 119, 116, 117 and manifold pipe 118 during various positions of the presser head. The exhaust steam lines leading from these two heating chambers pass indirectly to the main steam inlet port A of the four way valve, from which valve the application of steam on the upper and lower sides of the piston is controlled. I shall first describe the exhaust line connection from the buck 14 to the inlet port A of the four way valve. The exhaust steam leaving the buck passes downwardly through a pipe line 96 (Fig. 1) connecting with a horizontal line 118 by means of a T 97 interposed therein. This horizontal line 118 is a manifold or common supply line into which both the presser head and the buck exhaust. Interposed in this manifold line 118 is a T 98 which may have connection through pipe 99 with a lubricator 100 of any desired. type, such a lubricator being illustrated in Fig. 11. A valve 100 may also be interposed in the manifold line 118 to regulate the amount of steam allowed to pass through the line to the four way valve. An elbow 101 (Fig. 3) on the end of the manifold line 118 connects with one end of a nipple 102, having an upwardly directed elbow 103 at its other end. A short length of pipe 104 (Fig. 1) projects vertically therefrom and makes connection with an inwardly directed elbow 105 (Fig. 3) from which a short pipe 106 extends horizontally and makes connection with a downwardly facing elbow 107. Leading from this latter elbow is a short pipe 108 (Fig. 8) which connects with the top or inlet port A of the four way valve 38.

Referring now to the connections by which the exhaust steam coming from the presser head 13 is conducted to the manifold line 118, it will be observed from Fig. 1 that an outlet pipe 109 leadin chamber of the presser ead connects with a laterally turned elbow 110. This elbow is in turn connected to a rearwardly directed elbow 111 which is connected with another inwardly directed elbow 112 by means of nipples 113 and a connecting union. Connecting with the inner elbow 112 is a suitable swivel joint 115 which is aligned with the pivotal axis of the presser head lever 12 to accommodate the pivotal movement of the presser head. The elbow 112 communicates with the central passage 138 in a valve 15', built in the swivel mounting 15, which at all times com municates with a pipe 116 extending downwardly from said joint. The pipe 116 has a forwardly directed elbow connecting through pipe 117, which in turn connects to the T 97 communicating with manifold line 118. Thus the exhaust steam from the heating chambers of both the presser head and the buck may be conducted to the port A of the four way valve 38.

The valve 15' is mounted in the swivel 15 which comprises a pin 136 having axially aligned bores 137 and 138 at its ends. The live steam line 119 communicates with bore 137, being connected to this pin 136 by a swivel 139 of usual construction. When the presser head is lowered upon the buck, a port 140 in pin 136 registers with port 141 in the boss 142 on the supporting standard 11. A ring 143 is mounted over the boss 11 having a passage 144 to permit passage of steam through port 141 to the steam chest inlet lines 119 and 120.

From the exhaust port C or bottom end of the four way valve a pipe 121 extends downwardly (Figs. 2 and 8) to which an outwardly directed elbow 122 is secured. Leading from this elbow is a pipe 123 connecting through a rearwardly directed elbow 123 (Fig. 1) with a pipe 124 containing acheck valve 124'. A continuation of the pipe 123 connects the check valve with an oil separator 125, and another line 127 leads from said oil separator into the atmosphere or wherever it is desired to direct this exhaust steam for other uses.

Fig. 10 illustrates this construction of oil separator 125. The steam entering from pipe 123 is deflected downwardly by the baf fie 128 of channel section, where it expands into the relatively large volume of the separator chamber. Here the oil particles are precipitated, after which the exhaust steam is 7conducted away through the outlet pipe 12 To bring the head 13 down into engagement with the buck 14 live steam is admitted to the top of the piston 32 through port D leading from the four way valve 38. With the head in raised position the valve 15' permits live steam from line 119 to pass into the pipe 116 through bore 137, port 145,

from the heating 9 passage 146, in boss 142, port 147 and passage 138, and the live steam is admitted to the top of the piston 32 when the four way valve 38 is opened thereto, Check valves 148 and 149 are placed in exhaust lines 96 and 113 to prevent live steam from entering the steam chests when inlet lines 119 and 120 are cut off. To open valve 38 to admit live steam to the top of the piston 32 the operator presses down simultaneously on both telescoping controllers 24 and 25, thus moving both ends of the cross bar or whippletree 94 downwardly until it assumes the horizontal position shown in the dotted lines in Fig. 2. This operates through the link 95 to more the rotary element of the four way valve through its required movement to admit steam into the upper end of the cylinder. As the telescoping controllers are forced down the outer tubes 64 and 83 telescope over the guides 68 and 82 and the knock out roller 66' on clamp 65 engages the upwardly projecting cam end 134 on the trip member 69 causing its nose 132 to move outwardly until the roller reaches the cut back portion 135. The latch then drops under the action of gravity bring ing the nose 132 into engagement with the annular notch 7 2 in rod '70. Since both trip levers 69 are joined by the connecting bar 131 this results in the opposite controller 24 being also latched in down position.

If either of the telescoping controllers are pushed down separately, as for example the controller 25, the cross bar 94 takes the angular position shown in the intermediate dotted line position in Fig. 2 bringing the valve into neutral position thus preventing the piston from moving and consequently the head from operating. In this position the trip levers will not catch nor lock the head down for the reason that they are so connected as to act only in unison; therefore, it will be necessary for the operator to use both hands simultaneously to bring the head down, and to bring the annular grooves in rods 70 and 84 in horizontal alignment in order to permit the noses of the trip latches to engage therewith. This also prevents one of the controllers being pushed down part wa and then released.

11 this bottom horizontal position of the cross bar 94 the port D is open and admits live steam to the top of the piston, from the line 119. When the head reaches its down position valve 15' has been rotated to bring port 140 therein into alignment with port 141 whereby live steam is admitted to both the head and buck, cutting off the live steam inlet to the piston (see Fig. 17) and the piston is held down by exhaust steam coming from the head and buck through lines 113 and 96. When port D is open port B is in communication with the exhaust port C so that the steam remaining in the lower end 6.3 of the cylinder can be exhausted.

Examiner To raise the head from the buck 14, the right hand control 25 is grasped and the two knobs or handles 64 and 71 are squeezed together. The handle 71 and its rod being down to substantially the bottom of its stroke, this squeezing raises the bottom handle 64 and through it the sleeve 64 and knock out roller 66. The upward movement of the knock out roller raises it out of the notched out portion 135 and cams the upper end 133 of the trip latch lever forwardly to release the nose 132 from the notch 72. This movement also occurs at the latch lever for the outer controller through the rod 131, and consequently both controllers are simultaneously released. The resulting upward movement of the cross bar 94 under the action of the springs 77 and 91 returns the four way valve to its former position again and connects the port B to the presser head and buck for admitting exhaust steam to the bottom of the cylinder and connects the upper end of the cylinder to exhaust port C. The resulting upward movement of the piston raises the presser head to its elevated position. The machine is then in its original starting position. The springs 22 tend to hold the head in this elevated position. With the head in this position live steam is again admitted to the line 116 leading to port A, through valve 38 and to the bottom of the cylinder. The introduction of live steam into the cylinder permits the supply to be cut off to the presser head and buck immediately upon the initial upward movement of the head, thus no heat units are lost through the presser elements when they are not in actual use.

It will be noted that the power actuating means for the presser head utilizes the exhaust steam from the heating chests of the presser head and buck as well as live steam from the main line 119 and in this sense is of economical operation as it utilizes heat units which would otherwise be lost. It will also be noted that the rapidity of operation of the presser head automatically governs the rate of steam circulation through the heating chests of the machine i. e. as the presser head is operated more rapidly a greater amount of heat must be supplied to the head and to the buck to compensate for the greater volume of heat absorbed by the increased number of garments pressed and this is automatically taken care of by the periodic steam flow through the heating chests to the operating cylinder when the buck is down. The periodic withdrawal of steam from these heating chests to the op erating cylinder tends to remove the chilled steam from the chests and minimize condensation therein.

I do not intend to be limited to the particular details herein shown and described, as it will be obvious that the foregoing is merely an exemplary embodiment of the invention.

I claim:

1. In a press having a head and a buck, means to heat said head and buck, a cylinder having a reciprocating piston operatively connected to said head to efiect raising and lowering thereof, and valve mechanisms for successively supplying live steam and exhaust steam from the head and buck to one end of the cylinder for lowering said head and "for successively supplying exhaust steam from the head and buck and live steam to the other end of the cylinder for raising the head.

:2. In a press having a head and a buck, means to heat said head and buck, including a live steam conduit, a cylinder having a reciprocating piston operatively connected to said head, and valve mechanism for operating the cylinder and press including a four way valve connected by passageways to both said live steam conduit and said head and buck for supplying the live steam, and exhaust steam from said head and buck, to the opposite ends of said cylinder.

3. In a press having a head and a buck, means to heat said head and buck including a live steam conduit, a cylinder having a reciprocating piston operatively connected to said head, an exhaust passageway connecting said head and buck to each end of said cylinder, a live steam passageway connecting said conduit with said exhaust passageway, valve mechanisms in said conduit and pas sageway to effect operation of the piston, the press including a four-way valve in the exhaust steam passageway for supplying live steam from the live steam conduit or exhaust steam from said head and buck to one end of the cylinder to bring and hold said head into pressing contact with said buck, said valve mechanisms actuating to close said bypass and supply live steam into the head and buck when said head is moved into pressing engagement with said buck, and manually operable means to operate said four-way valve to supply successively exhaust steam from said head and buck and live steam to the other end of said cylinder to move said head out of pressing contact.

4. In a press having a head and a buck, including a live steam conduit, a cylinder having a reciprocating piston operatively c011- nected to said head, a pipe line leading from said head and buck to said cylinder, a bypass connecting said steam conduit with said pipe line, and valve mechanisms in said conduit and pipe lines for successively supplying live steam and exhaust steam from the head and buck to one end of the cylinder for lowering said head and successively supplying exhaust steam from the head and buck and live steam to the other end of the cylinder for raising the head.

5. In a press having a head movable toward and away from a buck, valve means for supplying live steam to the head and the buck, a passageway connecting said head and buck with a steam power mechanism for moving said head away from said buck to supply exhaust steam to said mechanism, said valve means being operable by closing movement of said head to shut off the supply of live steam to the head and buck and admit exhaust steam into a passageway connected with said steam power mechanism, and manually operable means for efiecting actuation of said mechanism.

6. In a machine of the class described, the combination of a pair of pressing elements, operating means for moving one of said pressing elements towards and away from the other element, a live steam passageway communicating with said means, means for supplying live steam to said pressing elements, exhaust steam passageways connecting said pressing elements with said live steam pas sageway, and valve means operable upon movement of one of said pressing elements for supplying live steam, or exhaust steam from the pressing elements, to said operating means, said valve means shutting off the supply of live steam to said pressing elements while supplying live steam to the operating means to allow the condensate to drain from said elements.

7 In a press having a head adapted to be moved towards and away from a buck, a cylinder having a reciprocable piston operatively connected with said head for effecting movement of said head, a live steam conduit connecting with said head and buck, a passageway connecting said conduit with said cylinder, and a valve in the conduit at the juncture of the passageway actuated upon movement of said head to supply live steam to said head and buck or to said cylinder.

8. In a press having a head adapted to be moved towards and away from a buck, a cylinder having a reciprocable piston operatively connected with said head for efi'ecting movement of said head, a live steam conduit connecting with said head and buck, a passageway connecting said conduit with said cylinder, a valve in the conduit at the juncture of said passageway actuatedupon movement of said head to supply live steam to said head and buck or to said cylinder, an exhaust passageway connecting said head and buck with said passageway, and said valve being operable to supply exhaust steam from said head and buck to said cylinder when live steam is supplied to said head and said buck.

9. In a press having a head and buck, a pivotal mounting for said head, steam pressure actuated means for moving said head toward and away from said buck, a conduit for admitting live steam to said head and buck, and a valve in said conduit, said valve being actuated upon movement of the head to shut off the supply of live steam to said head at. lemurs, mUNINuUH SMUUIHINU.

and buck and to supply live steam through a passageway to the steam pressure actuated means.

10. In a press having a head and a buck, a pivotal mounting for said head, steam pressure actuated means for moving said head towards and away from said buck, a conduit for admitting live steam to said head and buck, a valve in said conduit, a passageway connecting said valve with said steam pressure actuated means, and a passageway connecting, through said valve, the exhaust from said head and buck with said first named passageway, said valve being actuated upon move ment of said head to supply live steam or exhaust steam from the head and buck through said passageway to the steam pressure actuated means.

11. In a press having a head and a buck, a pivotal mounting for said head, steam pressure actuated means for moving said head toward and away from the buck, a steam conduit for admitting live steam to said head and buck, a valve arranged to shut oil the sup ply of live steam to the head and buck and to supply live steam through a passageway to said steam pressure actuated means when said head is in raised position a steam exhaust passageway connecting said head and buck with said valve, and means in the valve for supplying the exhaust steam from said head and buck to said steam pressure actuated means through said first named passageway when the head is in lowered position.

12. In a press having a head and a back, a pivotal mounting for said head, steam pressure actuated means for moving said head toward and away from said buck, a steam conduit for admitting live steam to said head and buck, said pivotal mounting including a rotatable valve connected in said conduit to con trol the supply of live steam to said head and buck, an exhaust steam passageway connecting said head and buck, through said valve, with the steam pressure actuated means whereby said means may be actuated, and said valve being actuated upon movement of said head to shut off the supply of live steam to the head and buck and supply live steam to the steam pressure actuated means.

13. In a press having a head and a buck, a pivotal mounting for said head, steam pressure actuated means for raising and lowering said head away from and toward said buck, a steam conduit for admitting live steam to said head and buck, said pivotal mounting includ ing a rotatable valve connected in said conduit to control the supply of steam to said head and buck, an exhaust steam passageway connecting said head and buck, through said valve, with the steam pressure actuating means whereby said means may be actuated, said valve shutting OK the supply of live steam to the head and buck when the head is in raised position, a passageway connecting said conduit, through said valve, with the steam Examine:

HARRY H. MODERMOTT. 

